The treatment of vagrancy and the relief of the poor and destitute in the Tudor period, based upon the local records of London to 1552 and Hull to 1576

Anderson, Kitty

(1933)

Anderson, Kitty (1933) The treatment of vagrancy and the relief of the poor and destitute in the Tudor period, based upon the local records of London to 1552 and Hull to 1576.

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Abstract

The general aim is to examine in detail the initiation of poor law policy by municipal authorities, with London as the main theme but with consideration of Hull for comparative purposes. Both are treated in relation to parallel State policy. Chapter I is introductory, calling attention to the general causes for increased vagrancy and distress in the sixteenth century, indicating the scope of the thesis and describing the manuscript sources. Chapter II deals with the extent and nature of sixteenth-century vagrancy, the contemporary conception of a vagabond, the art of begging revealed by the London archives and contemporary literature, and the city haunts of the sturdy beggar. Chapter III treats of London's vagrancy policy, sketching first State and City policy before 1485, and then proceeding to detailed examination of the period of transition and experiment (1485 - 1531). City policy preceded State action. Its keynotes were (a) settlement (b) severe punishment. Chapter IV continues the survey to 1552. The main features are (a) until 1547, great administrative activity (b) 1547 - 1552, and the development of a more humane treatment of vagrancy, marked by the foundation of Bridewell. Chapter V traces to 1576 Hull's vagrancy policy, which developed later than that of London. Hull's chief aim was to stabilise labour, but there were certain resemblances to London's policy and these are noted. Chapter VI reviews development of municipal relief of the poor in London and Hull. In London, (a) until 1536, policy was mainly concerned with the regulation of begging; (b) 1536 - 1552 circumstances hastened municipal interference and finally a general scheme of poor relief was formulated, involving the foundation of the Royal Hospitals. In Hull the problem was less urgent, interference was more gradual and largely State-directed. Chapter VII summarises the result of these detailed surveys. Documentary evidence to illustrate the various aspects of the subject is quoted in full in 25 Appendices.

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This is a Accepted version
This version's date is: 1933
This item is not peer reviewed

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Item TypeThesis (Doctoral)
TitleThe treatment of vagrancy and the relief of the poor and destitute in the Tudor period, based upon the local records of London to 1552 and Hull to 1576
AuthorsAnderson, Kitty
Uncontrolled KeywordsEuropean History; Public Policy; Law; Social Sciences; Social Sciences; Social Sciences; 1552; 1576; Based; Destitute; Hull; Local; London; Period; Poor; Poor Laws; Poor Laws; Records; Relief; Treatment; Tudor; Vagrancy
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Identifiers

ISBN978-1-339-60645-3

Deposited by () on 01-Feb-2017 in Royal Holloway Research Online.Last modified on 01-Feb-2017

Notes

Digitised in partnership with ProQuest, 2015-2016. Institution: University of London, Royal Holloway College (United Kingdom).


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